Consumers Energy’s parent company has donated half the money raised so far by a campaign fighting a Michigan ballot initiative that would restrict utilities’ political spending, recent disclosures show.

CMS Energy pumped $15,000 into Protect MI Free Speech, the committee formed to oppose the Michiganders for Money Out of Politics ballot initiative. The other $15,000 backing the opposition campaign came from health insurance giant Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, which would also be prohibited from making campaign contributions under the proposal.

The Michiganders for Money Out of Politics framework would ban regulated utilities like Consumers Energy from giving money to state officeholders and political party committees. The prohibition would also extend to corporations with state or local government contracts worth more than $250,000 annually, like Blue Cross Blue Shield. Under the framework, dark money 501(c)(4) nonprofits – including a prominent one affiliated with Consumers Energy – would be required to disclose pre-election ad spending.

Organizers aim to gather 356,958 signatures from Michigan voters by late February to ensure their proposal can be put to voters on the November 2026 ballot. The coalition pushing the proposal includes Clean Water Action, Climate Cabinet, Community Change Action, Detroit Action, Michigan League of Conservation Voters, Michigan United Action, MOSES Action, Progress Michigan, and Voters Not Politicians.

Utility influence is a key driver of ballot initiative

Consumers Energy and DTE Energy, Michigan’s two largest corporate monopoly utilities, are among the most influential political forces in the state. Through their Political Action Committees (PACs), the two utilities have reported more than $1.7 million in contributions to current elected officials across their political careers, according to an Energy and Policy Institute analysis of campaign finance reports.

The review found that 122 of 148 current state legislators – or 82 percent – have received utility PAC money. Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer tops the list with $151,315 in utility PAC giving through October 2025. She appoints the regulators who oversee Michigan utilities, and who determine how much they can raise rates and how much they can profit. These proceedings have grown increasingly contentious in recent years as Consumers Energy and DTE Energy seek frequent rate increases while customers experience frequent outages, relative to other utilities in the region.